I should say, if I were personally demanding £18 trillion, I’d be on a tropical island someplace, sipping coconut water and watching my bits in Wallace and Gromit on repeat.
In keeping with some folks, that’s precisely what I’ve accomplished. However that’s not what I stated. It’s not what the ebook during which I’m speculated to have written it truly says both. I had a have a look at a number of the headlines and I believed, effectively… right here we go once more. I’ve gone out and personally demanded £18 trillion in reparations.
The factor is that it’s simpler to border reparations as only a quantity – a scary, impossible number. It’s simpler to pitch white folks towards Black folks, to show a dialog about justice into one about resentment. It’s simpler to cite Lenny Henry than to really have interaction with the huge physique of educational and ethical work that’s been accomplished on this problem.
There’s a critical level to be made. The Brattle Report, published in 2023, is an financial examine commissioned to calculate the size of the monetary debt owed from slavery. It discovered that Britain’s historic slavery debt may quantity to round £18.8 trillion.
And when that report got here out, the headlines regarded very completely different from when I spoke about the same thing: “UK’s £18tn slavery debt is an underestimation, UN decide says,” BBC On-line. “UK can’t ignore requires slavery reparations, says main UN decide,” The Guardian.
These had been critical, sober, well-informed discussions. However some papers that seemed from the headlines that I had plucked the £18.8 trillion out of the air – those self same retailers both ignored the Brattle Report solely when it was printed, or buried it deep on-line the place nobody would discover it.
As a result of, let’s be sincere – who reads previous the headline as of late? Not within the age of X (Twitter), Instagram and TikTok soundbites. And by then, the harm was accomplished. The story was: Lenny Henry calls for £18 trillion. And why? As a result of it’s simpler that method.
However we shouldn’t be shocked. That is how requires justice are sometimes obtained. And reparations, at its coronary heart, is a name for justice. The actual story goes past getting a money refund for slavery. As a result of what we’re speaking about isn’t simply cash. It’s restore. Ethical, social, academic and cultural restore.
Now, the UK’s strategy to reparations shouldn’t shock anybody. They merely don’t wish to speak about it.
When Commonwealth leaders tried to boost reparations final yr, Sir Keir Starmer – the person meant to steer this nation – actively sought to halt the discussion.
He tried, and he failed.
They did focus on it on the Commonwealth leaders’ summit. As a result of the remainder of the world is speaking about it, and it’s Britain that’s turning into the worldwide outlier.
In case you recognise and respect African international locations, Caribbean international locations, Asian international locations and South American international locations – what we now name the World Majority – then it’s a must to recognise that this dialog is already taking place.
I’ve merely had the audacity to respect and amplify the views of these nations – the Caricom nations of the Caribbean, and the African Union, representing 55 African international locations – who’ve each put ahead detailed, considerate, ethical instances for reparations.
And right here’s the factor: The very first level in Caricom’s 10-point plan for reparations isn’t about cash in any respect. It’s a couple of formal apology.
A recognition of the heinous crime that was committed. A recognition that what occurred was improper, and that its legacy remains to be with us at present. When folks rush to speak in regards to the cash, it’s a method of avoiding that fact. As a result of in the event you deal with the quantity, you don’t should face the ache.
And so sure, we are able to argue in regards to the cash. We will argue in regards to the practicalities. You don’t even have to love me. However please – don’t dismiss the decision for reparations. Don’t dismiss the voices of Black-majority international locations from the Caribbean and Africa out of hand.
We’ve seen what occurs when Britain tries to disregard this problem on the world stage – it seems like King Canute making an attempt to carry again the tide. As a result of the tide is coming in. This problem is being mentioned. Actual educational work is being accomplished.
And if Britain desires to sort out racism significantly – if Britain desires to be credible to Black folks globally – then we want a smart, knowledgeable, ethical dialog about reparations. Not a debate framed as “Lenny Henry desires all of your cash”.
As a result of the reality is, I don’t need your cash. I would like your honesty. Your recognition. And a shared dedication to restore what historical past has damaged. Thanks.
